Eating habits are weird, and they’re introspective. For example, you can tell a lot about a person by how they eat a sandwich. Straightforward, normal people just pick it up with their hands and eat the whole thing. Fussy, precise people eat them with knife and fork, maybe because they’re neat freaks, maybe because they have an orgo midterm the next day and being able to pick apart and eat each individual part is the only remaining shred of control they have over their life at the moment.
The tortas at Aguas Tortas defy typical sandwich-eating conventions, at least in the fact that regardless of whether you eat them whole or with a fork, it’s going to get messy. There’s nothing particularly unique about the sandwiches- the same things come on each sandwich regardless of what meat you choose – but when you get your order everything spills out of the sandwich and you start to doubt that the disposable silverware you got with the takeout order is hefty enough for the task at hand.
From fresh avocado and panela cheese to the spicy, creamy avocado chipotle spread, all the ingredients of the sandwiches blend together as the bread gets cooked on the flat top grill in the back. The chorizo was my favorite, but the marinated pork was a close second. The sides stand up to the entrees, too. I’ll be completely honest and say that the first thing I tried wasn't a sandwich, taco, or burrito, but instead, the guacamole, which I ate with a spoon. Sure, you don’t get to pick what’s in the guac, and there’s no bacon, but the cilantro is fresh and it’s just the right amount of salty: They know what they’re doing when they make it.
One of the best things about Aguas Tortas is definitely the cost. I ordered a sandwich, drink and a side of chips and salsa and the total came out to $14.30. It may sound like it’s Frontera-expensive (i.e., oh-hell-no expensive), but I shared it all with two other friends and we each had about a meal-sized portion. It’s great if you want to split food with friends or want leftovers;the sandwiches on pambazo are about the size of a Bat 17 sandwich. If you want a drink, they have everything from Jarritos to their own horchata and, my personal favorite, jamaica, a hibiscus drink that’s acidic but sweet.
The atmosphere at Aguas Tortas is pretty simple, with vibrantly-colored walls and a mix of high and low tables that make the space open yet intimate; the restaurant could be completely packed and you’d still have a sense of privacy from the people sitting just at table over from you. It's a sit-down restaurant, but you place your orders at the counter. It's about the only time you interact with the staff, who are friendly and ready to give recommendations.
Aguas replaced UberBurger on Church Street, so it’s reasonably close to campus if you want a bite to eat off-campus in between classes without resorting to just grabbing something at Whole Foods.
Aguas Tortas is at 618 ½ Church St., in between The Celtic Knot and Bistro Bordeaux. It’s open 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and closed on Sundays.